


A Better Lover (I've Never Had)

by CreamMoon



Series: Bottom Arthur Fest 2019 [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, First Time, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Rivalry, Rivals to Lovers, Semi-Public Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 22:43:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18765784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamMoon/pseuds/CreamMoon
Summary: "Don't doubt me! I'm a lover unparalleled!" Gwaine drawled, Leon chuckling in response. "Why, ask our Fair Princess! He caught me out just the other night..."Arthur grimaced, brow furrowing as he wished he didn't believe his ears. Of course Gwaine would say something. Ofbloodycourse."Is that true Arthur?" Leon called, and Arthur wanted ever so briefly to strangle him. "Did you catch this mangy tom at it?""Unfortunately."





	A Better Lover (I've Never Had)

Sneaking out of the kitchens beneath the notice of the night cook completely undetected was a new personal best for Arthur. It wasn't as though he _had_ to sneak or anything, he being King and it being _his_ castle, but it had always been a fun game for him to test himself in the past and he had a hard time letting go of such a little indulgence as that.

Speaking of little indulgences he took a moment to admire the tart he'd pilfered, the red currant jam making his mouth water as he eyed it. It was something he was planning on enjoying back in the quiet sanctity of his chambers... But he just couldn't resist, popping it promptly into his mouth with a satisfied hum.

Rounding the corner in the next moment he came to a stop after a few paces, brow furrowing as he halted his chewing. Before him not all that far along the corridor was Gwaine, who was, for lack of any better expression, "humping" what appeared to be the wall at first glance. But with a second or two of further study Arthur finally realized that there was indeed another man present that the knight was frantically taking. He was completely silent.

Taking a deep breath in through his nose the King promptly turned on heel and walked the other way, reworking his path back to his chambers as he tried to put the image out of his mind. How many times was he going to keep catching Gwaine at it!? Didn't the damn idiot know he had a room he could use!?

***

Watching Elyan’s footwork as he faced off with Lancelot the King was trying his damnedest to focus, the chatter off to his right from the waiting Knights pulling at his attention in a grating way. Gwaine was carrying on with bawdy tale after bawdy tale and the other men were eating it up. Arthur could scarcely stand it; he had little patience for egos these days, and especially not overblown ones like Gwaine’s.

Since he’d been knighted the man had become insufferable, as though he was truly God’s gift to mankind.

"Don't doubt me! I'm a lover unparalleled!" Gwaine drawled, Leon chuckling in response. "Why, ask our Fair Princess! He caught me out just the other night..."

Arthur grimaced, brow furrowing as he wished he didn't believe his ears. Of course Gwaine would say something. Of _bloody_ course.

"Is that true Arthur?" Leon called, and Arthur wanted ever so briefly to strangle him. "Did you catch this mangy tom at it?"

"Unfortunately." He grunted, frowning as he finally looked over. Gwaine looked confident, like he was expecting Arthur to actually back him up with positivity. "Though it took me a moment or two to figure out what was going on."

"Why was that?" Leon asked, the other men too surprised that Arthur was admitting to having caught Gwaine to say anything themselves.

"The poor sod he was having it off with was as silent as a corpse. He can't have been having a good time."

The hooting and hollering that came just from that made Arthur's irritated mood break a bit, but seeing the handsome brunette sitting slack jawed at what he'd said finally made Arthur smile.

"Now wait just a damn minute!! He was enjoying himself thoroughly!! I never leave a lover unsatisfied!"

"Oh? Hard to believe, things considered. But maybe he'd just fallen asleep waiting on you to get around to him?"

The shouting and laughter only got louder from that, the knights around Gwaine pushing on him amidst their laughter, the man in question frowning mightily and shoving their hands back. “Oh, what would a Pendragon know, anyway? You’ve got to keep pure for your future bride!”

Arthur felt his cheeks warm at the commentary but he rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the sentiment. “Even so you’d have to be blind and deaf to take what you were getting up to as a good time.”

“All right Princess, square up. I’ve had enough of your slander for one day.” Gwaine growled, standing and grabbing the nearest sword.

“You really want to do this? After I so kindly answered you?” Arthur asked as he raised a brow at the behavior, honestly surprised he got such a rise out of the usually lacksidaisical knight. Apparently he’d taken him down more than just a peg.

“Fill your hand before I spank you with this blade.” Gwaine shot back, making the men behind him “ooo” as though there was any real trouble afoot. Elyan and Lancelot had since ceased what they were doing, looking on at the two in interest.

“Go on, Arthur. We’ll get out of the way.” Lancelot chimed in, nudging Elyan along.

“All right...” Arthur sighed, shrugging dramatically as he went and picked up the nearest sword from the rack, nudging Merlin with his foot on his way by. The man in question just rolled his eyes and continued his sharpening, clearly not interested in anything they were about to get up to.

Gwaine was on the ground within two minutes, Arthur not bothering with his normal, more instructive methods. The infuriated look on Gwaine’s face was frankly to die for, something Arthur would be thinking about days later when he needed a pick-me-up.

***

And so a mighty feud was created between the two, Gwaine and Arthur working to show the other up constantly. Repeated bouts in training, in the Council chambers, and at celebrations, the silent war was spilling over into near every facet of their lives.

"I never thought I'd say this, but you've actually found a way to make Gwaine absolutely insufferable." Merlin drawled in his ear as he leaned over to fill Arthur's goblet, purposefully nudging Arthur's arm so the chicken leg he was about to bite into smacked the King in the nose. Shooting Merlin an irritated look the King righted his hold and bit into the meat, tearing off a piece before setting it aside.

"Perhaps you're just finally waking up to the reality that is Gwaine?" He suggested, earning a snort out of his manservant. "I know he's got that common man charm, Merlin, but honestly, he's just as egotistical as anyone else."

"Oh ho? I suppose you'd know, being the man with the biggest one here." Merlin shot back, making Arthur shoot him another dirty look.

"Honestly, Merlin, how many times do I have to tell you that you can't talk to me like that?"

"Hm? Sorry, suddenly I can't understand you. You really shouldn't talk with your mouth full, _sire_."

Rolling his eyes at the behavior Arthur cleared his mouth completely, looking up and catching Gwaine's eye from across the room. He was standing with a few of the knights at the side of the central merrymaking, a goblet in hand. Usually he'd be after the ale, but he seemed to have been avoiding it for the evening, choosing a more sober angle for whatever reason. Arthur wondered what he was up to.

"It's like he's become obsessed with you." Merlin sighed, somewhere to his left now. Arthur didn't bother to look for him, knowing full well the snarky man would just duck away, playing at the idea of proper serving manners only to vex him. "I knew that you two were a similar sort but I never thought you'd both attempt to kiss the mirror."

He made an indignant sound at the assertion, shaking his head. "You're once again so far outside the realm of understanding, Merlin, that I can't even fathom what you're on about."

"Pretend all you like, sire, but you _know_ what I mean."

And Arthur did, but it would be a cold day in Hell if he ever would admit to that.

***

The festivities had gone on long enough for it to be appropriate for Arthur to finally excuse himself and head for bed, the King sending Merlin on ahead of him to get his chambers ready. He didn't feel like getting any choice comments about kissing mirrors and annoying brunettes, so it was to his benefit to insist Merlin leave his side while he said his farewells.

Who knew he'd be accosted in his own home?

Well, accosted wouldn't be the right word, seeing as who it was that'd pulled him into the mouth of an adjacent corridor.

"Oh, is _this_ how you find your little trysts? Pull them in like a hungry spider and hope they're up for a quickie?"

Gwaine just glared at him and hauled Arthur further in and then up against the wall, letting him go after he seemingly was satisfied with how things were set. "I have a proposition for you."

"Yes, I think I picked up on that."

"Shut it." Gwaine grunted, swatting Arthur's shoulder. "I'm going to woo you, Pendragon, and then you'll get a taste of what I've got to offer."

Arthur couldn't help the disgruntled laugh that came out of him, ducking his head as the absurdity hit him. "Right."

But Gwaine grabbed him by the chin, pulling the King's head back up to look at him. "Listen carefully, _Your Majesty_. I'm going to make you fall head over heels and you're going to like it."

There was something oddly compelling about being held like this but the novelty wore off fast as Arthur's temper flared, the King slowly reaching up and peeling it away as he looked at Gwaine with a deliberate sort of coldness. "Say what you will, but I seriously doubt you know what you're getting into."

Without thinking the move over passed impulse Arthur grabbed the knight by the hair and pulled him into a rough kiss, biting at Gwaine's bottom lip before thrusting him back off, watching as he stumbled backward slack jawed before sweeping off. After all, Merlin was turning down his bed and he had to be up for training in the morning, he didn't need to be goaded into yet another contest so late at night.

***

Gwaine's idea of wooing was a shockingly slow going thing, and as far as Arthur could tell their competitive shenanigans were still ongoing, just with less bite to them from the brunette's side of things. Perhaps there was a little more touching? Gwaine's hands grabbed more pointedly at him during training and touched him when they were off to some meeting or another.

It was insidious, he supposed, when he found himself looking forward to the casualness of Gwaine's hand finding somewhere to linger. He'd kept things fairly appropriate thus far, resting a hand on his arm or a shoulder, an easy warmth that Arthur didn't find from many aside from Merlin and perhaps Morgana once upon a time.

When Gwaine turned up at his door with a rose Arthur almost laughed. But then the sound strangled in his throat because Gwaine's expression was earnest, and for whatever reason he was actually charmed by the meager token of interest. He's not sure why he's so receptive.

Something about it is flattering the way Gwaine had decided to approach. Arthur had assumed he'd be over the top, falling all over himself at every turn to openly profess his affections or salaciously try and lure him to bed. But since the night of the declaration he'd been methodical and focused in a way that was entirely outside of expectations.

"He must like you." Merlin commented lackadaisically as he put away Arthur's laundry, straightening the tunics on their hangers and folding his breeches up. "He's scarcely made a tit of himself this past week."

The King snorted at that, settled down in his chair by the fire as he twirled the rose back and forth between his fingers. "I don't know what he's playing at. I know very well I'm just one more notch for him."

There was a pregnant pause before Merlin turned to look at him, brow raised. "Arthur have you _ever_ seen Gwaine make an effort for anyone?"

"Well, I suppose-"

"Think carefully." Merlin cut in, closing the cabinet sharply as if to emphasize his statement.

Arthur just rolled his eyes, looking back to the rose. Gwaine had been by his own admission a man to rival the lusty Zeus of legend, and countless unfortunate times Arthur had caught him having it off in the less traveled parts of the castle. What was there to think on when Gwaine had quite literally shown him just how he exercised his interests?

Wasn't this just some convincing act? A trap to catch Arthur eventually so Gwaine's ego would be satisfied?

"Don't hurt him, Arthur." Merlin warned, the edge to his tone catching Arthur off guard. "You won't like the consequences."

Before he could think of anything to say to being openly threatened by his greatest confidant Merlin had picked up his basket and left, saying something vague about going to get Arthur's dinner.

***

Insidious had been the right word for it. Gwaine's attentions had put him squarely in Arthur's thoughts now, the King finding his idle time filled with thoughts of the irritating Knight, both good and bad. Arthur thought about his conduct at Court, how he'd behaved during training, how he'd looked at Arthur across the Council table.

Merlin's warning had also pushed things into a new, uncomfortable light.

Arthur had actually started to take things seriously. It seemed that somehow... it really... wasn't a competition.

***

Arthur tried to admit as little to Merlin as possible, giving him the night off weeks in advance of his plan before arranging with other members of the household to wait on him that night, ones that knew how to keep their mouths shut when they noticed just who he'd called to dine privately.

Sir Gwaine arrived promptly at nightfall, dressed casually but looking surprisingly stiff as he stepped through Arthur's chamber doors. The servants were in the midst of setting the plates and doling out the food, the last one coming in after Gwaine to leave a jug of wine on the tabletop before they all bid the pair good evening and left quietly.

Arthur stood by the hearth, eyeing Gwaine momentarily before motioning for him to sit. "Or would you like me to pull out your chair?"

The teasing seemed to land as the scruffy man's shoulders relaxed noticeably, Gwaine quirking an eyebrow at the King. "I was about to ask the same of you, Princess, but I think we're both grown enough to handle that sort of thing ourselves."

Chuckling at that little stab Arthur rolled his eyes and moved forward, settling down in his chair as Gwaine awkwardly took his own seat, the man in question glancing around at Arthur's room before taking a look at the food. "Haven't been in here for quite a while."

"And never alone, if I recall." Arthur hummed, picking up the jug of wine and serving the both of them. "I'm not prone to having guests in the first place."

Gwaine just smirked a little bit at that. "Well, can't have the court thinking you're having any fun. They might all die of shock."

"I know how to have fun by myself." There was a tiny pause before Arthur slapped a hand over his face, Gwaine starting to laugh. "Oh, that's not what I mean and you know it!"

"I think the lady doth protest too much." The knight shot back fondly, starting to eat his dinner, clearly giving the King a little leeway. "But go on, protest away, I'm going to enjoy the fine meal you promised while it's hot."

They traded little jabs and jokes over dinner, the atmosphere strangely comfortable. Arthur had thought it might be awkward, being alone with Gwaine, but now that it was happening it was quite pleasant joking around like this. He didn't have to hold himself as far away as he did in public, the aloofness his position required sometimes far more heavy than he liked to think of. The knights had always been a closer connection for him, especially as a Prince. They'd been as close as he'd come to confidants before Merlin, and even now there was a bond that wasn't quite captured by any other relationship he had. Brothers in arms truly meant something to him.

Now with the prospect of taking Gwaine from one group into another entirely made Arthur's nerves jitter, the King stealing looks at the brunette that were less friendly in nature between looking at the fire and drinking the rest of his wine. They'd noticeably only had one drink each, something that Arthur took the time to appreciate.

Apparently they both were on the same page.

Putting courage forth he set his goblet aside and slid his hand across the table, brushing his fingertips against Gwaine's plaintively. The brunette stared owlishly for a moment before sliding his hand forward, twining their fingers together slowly as he raised his eyes to look at Arthur properly. "So..."

"So. You've wooed me." Arthur said, voice steady as he looked curiously at Gwaine. "Now what will you do?"

Things were silent for a while, nothing changing save for the position of their hands, Gwaine angling his so he could rub his thumb gently along Arthur's palm. He wondered what it meant; if Gwaine was perhaps having seconds thoughts or, if like so many others, now that he'd finally gotten what he'd wanted he had no idea what to do.

But the rubbing was nice, Arthur had to admit.

The idle rubbing finally ceased as Gwaine withdrew his hand, the scruffy brunette standing up before slowly stepping around to Arthur's side, tentatively reaching out and cupping the King's cheek.

"I think I'll start with a kiss, Your Highness." The deliberate way Gwaine went about saying that sent a frisson of want up Arthur's spine, the blonde leaning into the touch before raising his eyes to meet Gwaine's gaze, clearly waiting for him to make the move. With permission clearly granted Gwaine leaned in, kissing Arthur firmly as he brought his other hand up to mirror it's counterpart, his thumbs sweeping gently over the rise of Arthur's cheekbones.

The kisses Gwaine gives are of a quality and a care that leave Arthur rightfully breathless, the lingering, methodical motions leaving the King wanting it to never stop. 

Who knew that Gwaine's lips would be so soft? He'd never paid that part of Gwaine any mind, even in all the thinking of him that he'd done for the past month or so. But they had a strangely satiny quality, something Arthur couldn't begin to fathom out. He was slowly losing coherency the more they kissed, and he found himself slowly breaking it off just so he could string a sentence together.

"Would you... be opposed to putting that mouth of your's toward other uses?" Arthur proposed, vaguely irritated that his breathing was staccato for the moment. "And I don't mean more conversation."

"Why, Princess, I wouldn't want to move too fast for you." Gwaine drawled, leaning to the side and kissing his temple before nipping at the shell of his ear. "Are you sure you want to be handled so carelessly?"

"You've shown what care you can give." The King shot back, reaching up and carding a hand through the knight's hair as he took a slow breath in. Gwaine's scent was frankly getting to him. "Or are you playing at being a prude for my sake?"

"I do so like to see you squirm." 

"I'm sure you can find better ways to do that." Arthur replied softly, giving the knight a pointed look. "Do you need me to stroke your ego further?"

"There are better uses for your mouth than that." Gwaine chuckled, turning Arthur's request back on him.

***

They somehow agreed to approach that angle together, Arthur sliding Gwaine's cock between his lips just as the knight took him in hand. Somehow Gwaine had cajoled him into being the one on the bottom, but Arthur couldn't find it in him to complain, the weight of the other man on top of him feeling too good to deny. Gwaine stroked him slowly from base to tip loosely a few times before bringing his mouth into play, slicking his own palm before licking at the head, making Arthur's focus die off near instantly with the combined effect.

"Don't worry, Princess, you just lay back and think of Camelot. I'll take care of us both." Arthur barely understood him, but a moment later he found out exactly what he meant by that, the knight beginning to fuck into his King's mouth, his tempo keeping with the one his hand and mouth were inflicting on the blonde beneath him. Arthur was absolutely consumed by the pleasure that rolled through him, the motion of Gwaine's hips adding a certain something, the slide of his cock across his tongue making Arthur shudder.

Gwaine's efforts were getting dangerously close to being rewarded, Arthur nearly bucking him off with one particularly good suck, the knight backing off with a breathy laugh, his hips slowing to a stop. " _Well_ , as much as I love where this has gone, I think I have something even more fun for you to try your hand at."

The slick fingers that pressed inside Arthur weren't a surprise, they'd had a vague and frankly strange conversation from the table to the bed, half in and half out of their clothes. They both understood what it meant, but Arthur felt that if anyone had been around to hear it they wouldn't have understood a single thing. Gwaine rubbed at his thigh idly, holding him gently as he eased his King open with a patience that seemed endless. Who could've guessed that beneath his bawdy act was a generous man such as this?

"All right, Arthur?" Gwaine asked, breaking the King out of his haze. The pleasure had really swept him away and the cock still in his mouth had kept him preoccupied and quiet. He nodded his head a little before finally pushing the knight's hips up, freeing himself and taking a moment to breathe properly.

"Turn over. I'll show you how fine I am."

Gwaine laughed at that sentiment, complying without another word. He laid out properly once Arthur was off of him entirely, the King reaching for the salve his lover had started with, swiping his fingers through it before slicking up Gwaine thoroughly. The man shuddered and took a sharp breath in, reaching out to take hold of Arthur's hips, clearly needing something to hold onto. "Careful, there... You're going to take all the fun out of me."

It was Arthur's turn to laugh, the blonde squeezing him at the base teasingly before shifting forward to align them. "As if I'd let you get away with that. You're supposed to be showing me a good time."

"Oh, I'll show you a good time." Gwaine shot back, hitching his hips up as soon as they were rightly set, Arthur groaning through the breach. Splaying his hands on Gwaine's chest he slowed his descent, drawing it out as long as he could before he was down to the hilt, the full feeling making Arthur want to take himself in hand and lose himself in pleasure. But he persevered, beginning to ride Gwaine with a drawn out moan.

They both knew it wasn't going to last, not with how much had gone on, not with how they were feeling after all that lead up. It didn't surprise him exactly when Gwaine took his hands in his and laced their fingers together, but it made his heart skip a beat all the same, the pair rocking together in a shocking rhythm, not a single motion out of sync.

The rhythm worked toward a fever pitch and before Arthur could even say a thing to warn of it he was cumming, the King slamming his hips down for the final time as he squeezed Gwaine's hands tight. The crescendo of pleasure was an overwhelming thing, Arthur practically collapsing onto the man beneath him.

When he came around Gwaine was holding him, his lips pressing gently over and over in a line along the side of his face.

"You weren't kidding."

"Hm?"

"...I like it." Arthur muttered, finally turning his face enough to catch Gwaine's lips with his own, kissing him furtively. When it hit Gwaine exactly what he was saying the man broke the kiss, laughter unable to be contained.

"You're head over heels for me, hm?"

"Unfortunate, isn't it? And here I thought I'd had you outplayed."

"Well, even Kings lose sometimes."

"What a wonderful way to lose." Arthur chuckled, flicking Gwaine's nose teasingly. "I can't wait to find out what happens when I win."


End file.
